1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a vehicle body structure, and more particularly, to a sealing arrangement for closure structures of automotive vehicle bodies.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a front door structure of an automotive vehicle body consists of an upper half portion including a door sash having an inclined front edge and a lower half portion fabricated of door inner and outer panels. Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Application (unexamined) No. 61-120611 discloses one example of a front door structure.
The front door is mounted in a body opening having the same configuration as that of the front door and is adapted for swinging movement between opened and closed positions. The body opening is encompassed by body structural members each consisting of inner and outer panels having a pinch weld flange to which a seaming welt having a sealing member is securely attached. When the front door is in a closed position, the sealing member is in abutment with an inwardly facing surface thereof to provide a seal against dirt, dust and water.
In this kind of sealing arrangement, the sealing member disposed along the rear edge of a front pillar makes contact with the periphery of the front door. In other words, the former is in abutment with an inwardly facing surface of the door sash and the peripheral edge of an inwardly facing surface of the door panel continues with the door sash, when the front door is in a closed position.
Accordingly, the sealing member is not allowed to be formed in a configuration greatly different from the external shape of the front door, thus limiting the shape of the front pillar. This fact results in the difficulty in rigidifying the front pillar.
If a reinforcement is so provided as to extend downwardly from the front pillar at a front upper portion of the body opening, the sealing member inevitably departs from the door sash, thus lowering the sealing properties. Furthermore, if the reinforcement is sufficiently enlarged to raise the rigidity of the front pillar, there arises the problem that the sealing properties would be further lowered.